One Piece: Revisited?

[Ender]

Smoke me a kipper!

Since there is no general OP thread, I suppose putting this here is better than nowhere at all.

New One Piece dub cast:

Luffy - Colleen Clinkenbeard - http://imdb.com/name/nm1513684/
Zoro - Christopher Sabat - http://imdb.com/name/nm0754526/
Nami - Luci Christian - http://imdb.com/name/nm0160049/
Usopp - Sonny Strait - http://imdb.com/name/nm0833185/
Sanji - Eric Vale - http://imdb.com/name/nm0425061/
Chopper - Brina Palencia - http://imdb.com/name/nm1754270/
Robin - Stephanie Young - http://imdb.com/name/nm1943661/

And just to add on to that, Funimation claims that the first DVD Box Set will be released (probably early) 2008. They're not starting with the 1st season because Viz still has the DVD rights to it...for now.

Also, it seems that they're working on the movies too, starting with Movie 8. Hrm. Not sure what to think about that, but oh well! No such thing as too much One Piece.

[Kei]

!!!!

New Mega House statues announced!

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10061109

This will look great next to my PoP Usopp/Chopper.


There is also a new Ace and Vivi coming out, but who cares about them.

[Zelyhon]

Smoke me a kipper!

Since there is no general OP thread, I suppose putting this here is better than nowhere at all.

New One Piece dub cast:

Luffy - Colleen Clinkenbeard - http://imdb.com/name/nm1513684/
Zoro - Christopher Sabat - http://imdb.com/name/nm0754526/
Nami - Luci Christian - http://imdb.com/name/nm0160049/
Usopp - Sonny Strait - http://imdb.com/name/nm0833185/
Sanji - Eric Vale - http://imdb.com/name/nm0425061/
Chopper - Brina Palencia - http://imdb.com/name/nm1754270/
Robin - Stephanie Young - http://imdb.com/name/nm1943661/

I'm actually quite pleased with the cast. I mean, I'll still have to see it before passing final judgement, but at least on paper it looks excellent.

Also, Kei, do you have links to any of the previous statues like that? I'm curious to see who else has been done and how much they are, because that Franky one looks awesome.

[Kei]

The Portrait of Pirates line is long discontinued. I was lucky to snatch up Usopp when I could. Your best bet is ebay, but expect to shell out 100+ for each one at this point.


Also, movie 9 was announced... retelling of the Drum arc -_-

Didn't they learn their lesson? Movie 8 was so shitty.

[Zelyhon]

The Portrait of Pirates line is long discontinued. I was lucky to snatch up Usopp when I could. Your best bet is ebay, but expect to shell out 100+ for each one at this point.


Also, movie 9 was announced... retelling of the Drum arc -_-

Didn't they learn their lesson? Movie 8 was so shitty.

I didn't see movie 8 yet. Why was it so bad? Did they just try to cram everything of Arabasta into a movie-length film?

[Kei]

Yes. Everything. Fights lasted about 20 seconds a piece. It was all around horrible.

[Elric]

464

Ha, I find it hilarious that Sanji got more pissed at Absalom for indirectly taking away one of his dreams. Since Absalon has ate the invisible fruit, Sanji can't fulfill one of his dreams of being an invisible man to further fuel his pervertive lust. That's so typical of Sanji, but that's what makes it fun. Been liking this arc more as the colorful fights begin.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

465
SOGEKING!!!

[Zelyhon]

Reviving the discussion!

So Zoro got his new sword (and has been taking a bit from Sanji's leg-of-fire thing, I guess. XD) and the crew all got taken out by Oz. I'm looking forward to their eventual rematch with him.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Yep. The last two fights have been absolute brilliance. I'm quite glad they didn't drag out Zoro's too.

[KiraraKim]

Oh I need to catch up with One Piece again. It's been really hard for me to keep up with weekly manga series lately. :(

[Kei]

I am suddenly very interested in this arc.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/kei_neko/1190719325020.jpg

[Zelyhon]

Heh. I saw that too. Ah, thank you One Piece for actually throwing in twists and turns that are unexpected and not completely stupid.

Maybe now we'll actually get to see a little of what he can do, since I don't think he said anything, much less did anything, the one previous time we saw him.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Bump for KnightmareLuffy
Chapter 478?

*bump*

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

479
Oh Snap!
I'm blown away by this. Originally I had predicted that it would be over for Oz instantly if he were to ever attempt Gear 2nd [which would lead to a very messy end]. This will look so good animated.

[Elric]

480

Oz totally got owned. He may be a zombie and all, but I don't recall any villian recieving this much punishment. What an epic fight. I like to see the anime version of this.

[Kei]

And for the first time in like 400+ chapters, Zoro used Sanzen Sekai!

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

And for the first time in like 400+ chapters, Zoro used Sanzen Sekai!I noticed that too :D It looks to be a move he has reserved as his final trump card. Happily, this is also the first time we've seen it actually connect.

This fight against Oz just wouldn't have been complete without a Giant Gear 3rd attack. There's still hope for Oz making a failed attempt at Gear 2nd. There'd be no greater KO.

[Zelyhon]

Hehehehe. Now that's how you finish a fight.

I must say, through the entire fight with Oz, I've really enjoyed the Straw Hats working together for their attacks. I've always been a fan of the very few combos they've done. With so many individual fights, we never really get to see them working in concert with one another, which is one thing this fight has really been good for.

And yeah, finally getting to see Sanzen Sekai again was awesome.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Jet "SHELL"????

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

483
Wow, a back-to-back threat. I don't know how the SH crew are going to handle this.

[ProfessorWashu]

Wow. I am MEGA far behind on One Piece. I rely on Shonen Jump to get my chapters, so while you guys move at a pace somewhat resembling normalcy, I end up moving like, 2 chapters a month. Can someone tell me where I can find some online chapters (preferably free, but still legal...)

[Zelyhon]

Can't. It's against the AA rules to post where to find licensed (and unlicensed, if I'm not mistaken) scans and the like. I wouldn't mind saying where to get it, since it seems like you are buying them as well (which is the right thing to do), but I can't say it on this forum.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Simple answer is there are no free & legal online distribution methods for this manga. You could however get Japanese Shonen JUMP magazine imported if you really wanted to pay to be up-to-date :P
I do like the concept of a US SJ, it makes manga reading look more affordable than when I was reading comics:
http://www.shonenjump.com/

[ProfessorWashu]

Whoops! You're right! I am not supposed to ask that! Hm. Well, I don't mind paying in order to stay legal, it's just I like it more if I can get free stuff legally. I'm a law abiding citizen. Ah, well. Thank you guys.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Holy crap! What happened to Zoro?? I need to read a translation!!
[edit] Translation read.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
HOLY CRAP!!!!! ZORO?!?!?!
How is he even alive?

[redit] OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD. I keep re-reading this chapter and every time I shocked and moved in so many different ways.

[KiraraKim]

Zoro better win his round of Saigar after this. I am still upset that Sanji lost.

[Zelyhon]

And we're now off and running to Merman Island. Thought that this thread could use some reviving now that we're onto the next arc and things will get moving.

Incidentally, can anyone think of what crew position(s) need to be filled at this point? I think Luffy mentioned in the beginning that he wanted ten people, which puts them at one short at the moment. I can't think of what else is really needed at the moment.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Hahaha oh wow. So much in one chapter. Plus Sanji's desired mermaids!

Ep 345: Autumn Winter looks beautiful in colour!

Chapter 491: The Merman Island arc seems to be under way. The Iron Mask looks to be related to the Arlong in some way. At least, that is my guess.

[KiraraKim]

Incidentally, can anyone think of what crew position(s) need to be filled at this point? I think Luffy mentioned in the beginning that he wanted ten people, which puts them at one short at the moment. I can't think of what else is really needed at the moment.

The only thing I am thinking is it would be nice to have another female crew member to balance things out. :D

I also hope Oda sticks to only 10 members. I think Oda does a great job of developing all the main characters and giving them all a focus.However, I would be worried that with more than 10 this might become an issue.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Luffy stated from the offset that he wanted 10 crew mates. It's not known if that includes himself or not. Oda is very good at sticking to these foreshadows, for example: how Luffy now has his musician. It should also be noted that in the Arlong arc, it was said that there were one or two Mermen who were far stronger than he was (thus way he was in East Blue). No doubt we'll be seeing them soon. We also need to remember that Luffy has just said that when he sees Ace next they'll be enemies. My guess is that he'll be a Shikabukai of have his powers stolen (á la Moria zombie?).

I don't think we'll be seeing any new crew members just now since normally Luffy states a necessity for a certain position (such as Musician, Cook, Carpenter) at the beginning of the arc. Then again, there have been exceptions such as Nico Robin.

[Zelyhon]

I don't think we'll be seeing any new crew members just now since normally Luffy states a necessity for a certain position (such as Musician, Cook, Carpenter) at the beginning of the arc. Then again, there have been exceptions such as Nico Robin.Did me mention needing a musician at the beginning of Thriller Bark? I just seem to remember him asking Brooke without knowing he was a musician. On the other hand, he mentioned needing a musician at the beginning of the series, so the "need" has been stated already. XD

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Yohohohohoho! 493 has action right off the bat. It's really nice to see how the group work together now and how Brooke fights. LOL Luffy.

Seen Duval spoiler:
Motherfukkin LOL'D

[KiraraKim]

I just read chapter 494

Oda wins at life seriously!

[Kei]

Man oh man. I have not laughed so hard at One Piece in a while. I hope this remains a silly arc like Davy back.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Did Sanji just use his hands to smack him??

[KiraraKim]

DBZ/One Piece cross over figurines. I am amused. :P

http://community.livejournal.com/one_piece/743363.html

[Kei]

Do want.

[Zelyhon]

Heh. World government nobles, Ace's execution announcement, and Roger's first mate. I'm really liking this arc, as it's back to being one that has a much wider impact on the story.

[KiraraKim]

Finally caught up...

Wow these last chapters were really excellent. You have the whole Ace execution mixed with the slave trade thing.

Hachiii Nooes. I hope he will be alright but it doesn't look good at all. But if he dies this is the first time a character will die in the present storyline.

But I was so happy when Luffy punched that Bastard. God that is why I love Luffy he might appear simple minded but when it comes down to it you better not mess with his friends.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

After a short funny comedy arc (the rosy-life pirates & "sanji") things have gotten more epic than ever before. The rival rookies, namely Kidd and Trafalgar Law are all very welcome additions that make me look forward to seeing the "New World".

At the end of the chapter, I'd thought that things didn't look too good for Kidd (seeing that cliff-hanger) but now I'm convinced that he's going to become the next Shichibukai to replace Moria.

Next week cannot come soon enough.

As a side note, I thought this might be amusing:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b230/JonathanLi/S4010030.jpg

http://plamo.outthere.info/forum/showthread.php?tid=4072

[Illjwamh]

Well damn, I'm finally completely up-to-date on One Piece and can participate in this thread.


So we finally see another admiral in Kizaru (who's apparently a flake). I wonder what the hell his power is. Aging/de-aging people? Or was that even him?


I think it would be awesome if Kidd and Law together managed to take out Kuma. It'd be cool to see someone that notorious get taken out by someone other than Luffy for a change.


And Luffy punching the noble fat guy? Totally saw it coming, but it was epic win anyway. His bounty's going to go through the roof now. :D

[Kei]

The aging/de-aging power seemed to belong to Bonney.

[Illjwamh]

Yeah, on a second look you're probably right. Plus, the way the marines reacted isn't something you would expect if it was one of their own guys doing it.

Wtf is Kizaru's power then, I wonder?

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

The theory is that the 3 Admirals had elemental powers that match their nicknames. The first one we met was the Blue Peacock and had Ice powers. Zikaru is.. what.. the Red Monkey? His powers seem to be explosive and he has very very strong feet.

[Illjwamh]

Kizaru is `Yellow Monkey`, and the other one is Akainu, or `Red Dog`.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

That's right! D'oh!
I remember the earlier discussions now. It was thought that he'd be some kind of yellow-flash only Lightning is taken so something Light-based. By the looks of this new chapter it seems to be right on the nail.

Mass-Produced Kuma? WTF!?!

[Illjwamh]

Yeah, what the hell is that about?

Also, Devil Fruit overload on this chapter. I'm not going to be able to keep track. @_@

[Ender]

Ara ra,

Chapter 509 Sanji, Luffy, Zoro triple tech! And did Drake turn into Godzilla!?

[Illjwamh]

I think he's a T-Rex.

This Kuma thing is confusing the crap out of me. Is he a mass-produced robot?

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

He's a pacifica. Some kind of Super-cyborg produced by Dr.Vegapunk that can emulate devil-fruit powers. The original is still the most powerful but the others are pretty deadly too.

[Illjwamh]

But was "the original" ever really a pirate to begin with who was modified by Vegapunk when he became one of the Shichibukai, or was his whole backstory manufactured as well?

[Illjwamh]

510


Some of the best teamwork the Straw Hats have ever shown us. Too bad that's not the real Kuma.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Utterly beautiful fighting. I really feel sorry for the rookies right now. Anybody else get the feeling that Kizaru would be utterly screwed if he came into contact with Black Beard?

[edit] Whoa whoa whoa. Is that little kid the Red Monkey Sentomaru?

[Illjwamh]

I was wondering that myself. I thought we'd already seen Akainu in the Ohara flashback.

Red Dog, by the way. :p

[Zelyhon]

I was wondering that myself. I thought we'd already seen Akainu in the Ohara flashback.

Red Dog, by the way. :p

We did, or at least, the man who would become Akainu (similar to how Kuzan wasn't Aokiji yet). Which means he's got to be at least 20-something, since he was an adult at that time. If I recall, though, we only saw a shadow of him.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Okay. So it's:
Red Dog
Yellow Monkey
Blue Peacock

???

[Illjwamh]

That is correct, sir.

[Zelyhon]

Okay. So it's:
Red Dog
Yellow Monkey
Blue Peacock

???

I thought Aokiji was Blue Pheasant, but otherwise, that's right.

[Illjwamh]

Ha! I read that as pheasant somehow.


Probably because that's what I was expecting. @_@

[KiraraKim]

I love how everyone is caught up on One Piece now that I am not (but I think less than 10 chapters behind.) Oh well I guess you guys got me motivated so this weekend for sure. :XD:

[Illjwamh]

511

This is easily the worst situation they've ever been. It's a good thing deus ex old guy showed up or they'd be toast.

[Zelyhon]

511

This is easily the worst situation they've ever been. It's a good thing deus ex old guy showed up or they'd be toast.

Yeah, but even if the resolution for the moment is a bit of a contrivance, I think it fits with the overall insanity that has taken place since this bit of the arc started, what with the other captains, unidentified abilities, clonebots, and more name dropping than you can shake a stick at.

Although, I have to say, between this and the Buster Call, I'm starting to understand why even absurdly large powerful crews like Whitebeard can't just go and do whatever they want.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Too epc for words! The old man turned up as spontaneously as Sentomaru (and was less random than the clone army). In a way, I'm hoping that they get arrested here so that we can get a proper pirate prison break arc :)

[Zelyhon]

One other thing I noted on rereading the chapter. Am I the only one who started giggling when I saw that Kizaru's fruit was the "Pika Pika no mi"? XD

[Illjwamh]

Too epc for words! The old man turned up as spontaneously as Sentomaru (and was less random than the clone army). In a way, I'm hoping that they get arrested here so that we can get a proper pirate prison break arc :)

"With the proper application of leverage..."


:D

[Zelyhon]

...Huh. That was...relatively unexpected. Wonder where it'll go from here.

I assume, from the little note at the end that said "The Crew Scattered" that Kuma sent each of the straw hats to a different place, which means I guess that they're going to have to try and find each other again. Interesting way to take this, but I'm a tiny bit worried. A lot of the humor in One Piece is from the interactions of the various crew members with each other. If I'm right and the next portion of this arc is trying to find each other again, then it might take a while to get back to that dynamic.

Don't get me wrong, though. I think that breaking the crew up like this rather than just separating into two groups or whatever can be a really grat direction, depending on how it is told. I trust that Oda has something interesting lined up for this next section.

Gotta wonder, though, how they're going to find and reclaim the Sunny if they're all gone.

[Illjwamh]

It was heart-wrenching to watch Luffy fall apart as he lost his precious nakama one by one. I hope he finds at least one of them soon.

I think what'll end up happening is they'll find each other in small groups first, and then the small groups will in turn find each other and reform the crew. That would make the most sense, I think.

[triggerman]

yes i agree. I really felt bad for Luffy. The way he lost everyone, and there was nothing he could do. I guess he will discover the 4th gear now, cuz clearly they are now, way out of their leauge.

[Zelyhon]

...Did Luffy just fall into a harem series?

[Illjwamh]

Lmao. It's a good thing he got sent there instead of Sanji. :D

[KiraraKim]

Lmao. It's a good thing he got sent there instead of Sanji. :D


Although can you imagine Sanji's reaction when he finds out :D

[Illjwamh]

Although can you imagine Sanji's reaction when he finds out :D

I can now. Hadn't even thought about it. Thanks for that image. :proll:

[Zelyhon]

I can now. Hadn't even thought about it. Thanks for that image. :proll:

"So, yeah. I found this island that was full of only women."
"...Screw All Blue. I have a new place that I'm looking for!"

[Illjwamh]

This arc looks like it'll be fun. The jokes about Luffy's balls were funnier than they had any business being. :XD:

[Zelyhon]

Chapter 516:

So, we've got a new Shichibukai who literally kicks kittens, claims the right to do whatever she wants, and is Medusa. And uses love powers to petrify people. Sanji's doomed if he ever meets her. XD

[Illjwamh]

Absolutely. :D


On the other hand we have Luffy, who never seems to even think about that sort of thing, so he'll probably be just fine.

[Illjwamh]

Obviously the story of eyes on her back is a lie. Any guesses on what's really there? I say it's a Whitebeard tattoo.

[Zelyhon]

Obviously the story of eyes on her back is a lie. Any guesses on what's really there? I say it's a Whitebeard tattoo.

I think Luffy'd be able to recognize the Whitebeard Tattoo, since Ace has one. It could still be, but I give Luffy a little more credit than that.

Great chapter. Comedy Luffy and badass Luffy flowing seamlessly from one to the other. I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes next.

[Illjwamh]

Well, he only really got a glimpse of it, and he says he's seen it before, so who knows? You may be right, though.


And yeah, I like the transition from goofy to awesome on Luffy's part in this chapter. It's one of the reasons he's one of my favorite manga characters of all time.

[triggerman]

i cant wait to see him smash them snake pit chic's. and the idea of a whitebeard tattoo is pretty good guess, unless its just some thing else altogether.

[Illjwamh]

519 is out. Damn. I always knew Luffy was awesome.

[Zelyhon]

519 is out. Damn. I always knew Luffy was awesome.

Super killing intent FTW. This sort of thing is exactly why I look forward to One Piece every week above all other manga I read.

[triggerman]

yeah i really wanna c whats on her/their backs!

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

I think we've already seen that what's on their backs looks like eyes. It's the true origin of those marks that's the real story. The fact that Luffy has seen them before suggests either something in his history or related to the Devil Fruits. All will be revealed soon enough!

[Illjwamh]

That was some really cool backstory. I never would have guessed the three of them had been slaves, and the history of the fishman pirates was neat too. Also, Luffy for president.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

I'd had a feeling that the sisters had been branded and that that was their mark of shame but I wasn't expecting something so big and tied into other seemingly-insignificant elements! Oda's writing comes through again :)

[Zelyhon]

I'd had a feeling that the sisters had been branded and that that was their mark of shame but I wasn't expecting something so big and tied into other seemingly-insignificant elements! Oda's writing comes through again :)I definitely agree with you on the writing. The way that Oda manages to tie everything together without it feeling forced or contrived is really impressive, especially when compared to a lot of other action manga.

Anyways, great chapter with more information about the world and history. Plus, Luffy was just as funny as always.

[Illjwamh]

Oy. Leave it to Luffy to get one of the most powerful, dangerous, antisocial and misandrous women in the world to fall in love with him. :D

[Zelyhon]

Oy. Leave it to Luffy to get one of the most powerful, dangerous, antisocial and misandrous women in the world to fall in love with him. :DAnd to completely not understand or care at the same time. XD

This chapter had me cracking up, both from the Amazons' poking at Luffy and the revelation at the end. The middle had some more good world info as well, about how exactly Enies Lobby, Impel Down, and Mariejoa all interact with one another. Looks like we'll actually be heading back to Enies Lobby, then through the Gates, just a little later than we were all predicting.

And I'm betting at least one other member of the crew's going to be heading to the same place, either from being captured or from knowing that that's where Luffy's heading.

[Illjwamh]

And to completely not understand or care at the same time. XD
It's so true! :XD:



And I'm betting at least one other member of the crew's going to be heading to the same place, either from being captured or from knowing that that's where Luffy's heading.
I wouldn't be surprised if you end up being right on this. Also, am I the only one getting inklings that Margaret might end up being a new Straw Hat?

[KiraraKim]

It does seem like one of the Amazon ladies has a good chance of being a Straw Hat. My only issue about Margaret is she seems pretty useless in the grand scheme of things but then again there could be more to her then meets the eye.

Anyways I am excited to see Luffy go after his brother (some nice brotherly concern there) but I really miss the other Straw Hats. I hope we see the others soon.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Nah, Margret is in the Vivi-catagory at best. Straw-Hats need to be quite eccentric and have lots of personality as a prequisite as well as being strong in their given fields. On top of that, a strong back-story is required of all SH's. Margret hasn't got any special features in these regards. If anything, Hebihime is more likely a candidate since she's quirky, strong and has a terrible past worthy of a flashback.

She might also be able to meet SH-level of stupidity since she's looked down on people so much that she's bending backwards and is now "love sick" for Luffy. Nami would hate her ^_^

[KiraraKim]

Yeah I was thinking Boa might be a better candidate to join the crew. She certainly has everything required eccentric personality, sad past, ability. And as a former Shichibukai she could give the crew valuable information.

I guess the only thing is there would have to be a good explanation of why she would leave her people behind. But I suppose it could be similar to Franky's situation and they can handle themselves on their own.

Although her character design is a little similar to Robin.

[Illjwamh]

Nah, Margret is in the Vivi-catagory at best. Straw-Hats need to be quite eccentric and have lots of personality as a prequisite as well as being strong in their given fields. On top of that, a strong back-story is required of all SH's. Margret hasn't got any special features in these regards. If anything, Hebihime is more likely a candidate since she's quirky, strong and has a terrible past worthy of a flashback.

She might also be able to meet SH-level of stupidity since she's looked down on people so much that she's bending backwards and is now "love sick" for Luffy. Nami would hate her ^_^

You make a good point. I'd kind of ruled her out since she's already a captain and a shichibukai and all, but that makes sense.

Good god, can you imagine how happy Sanji would be?




And Vivi is a Straw Hat. As far as the rest of them are concerned anyway, and that's what really matters, right?

[Zelyhon]

You make a good point. I'd kind of ruled her out since she's already a captain and a shichibukai and all, but that makes sense.

Good god, can you imagine how happy Sanji would be?




And Vivi is a Straw Hat. As far as the rest of them are concerned anyway, and that's what really matters, right?Oh man. How much would the world government hate them for that? Two Shichibukai publicly beaten and convincing one to defect onto their crew?

Sanji will probably be petrified and unpetrified on a pretty regular basis when he meets Boa. XD

And yes, Vivi's still a Straw Hat in the eyes of the crew who were there when she was. And as we've learned in the past, if Luffy says you are or will be a Straw Hat, then you are one, whether you want to be or not.

[Illjwamh]

Yeah, Luffy pretty much always gets what he wants in the end.

Also:


And as we've learned in the past, if Luffy says you are or will be a Straw Hat, then you are one, whether you initially want to be or not.

Fixed.

[Zelyhon]

Yeah, Luffy pretty much always gets what he wants in the end.

Also:



Fixed.

What about when he wouldn't let Nami or Robin leave? I'd say it's a persistent thing. XD

[Illjwamh]

I added the "initially" because even though they said they didn't want to join/stay then, they'd never want to leave now.

[Zelyhon]

I added the "initially" because even though they said they didn't want to join/stay then, they'd never want to leave now.

True enough. Once you're really in the crew, you never leave.

523: Didn't see some of those things coming. I guess we know at least two more people Luffy'll be running into once he gets to Impel Down. Although, one thing confused me.
Sengoku said that six of the Shichibukai had gathered to fight, with the one exception now being Jimbei. Does that mean that Moria was both allowed to keep his seat, and actually meekly went back to working for them after the ending of his arc? I'd have figured him more likely to go rogue or get tossed into Impel Down as well.

And the brief little pieces about where the others ended up were great, especially Franky and Sanji. XD

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Things are coming along very nicely. My hopes for the "Prison Break" arc are coming true!! :D
If all the rookies that were captured recently are going to Impel Down too then we are in for a royal treat. A 'battle royale' if you will.

The other thing that the Shikibukai gathering entails is the return of HAWKEYE and a very possible rematch with Zoro. Given Zoro's latest horrific injuries, it's highly unlikely he'll be defeating his nemesis/arch-rival/___ but gaining some training where ever he's landed might help even the odds a little.

It looks like Kuma has skillfully placed each SH in almost the perfect place for an upgrade... with the sad exception of Sanji. Poor guy ^_^;
I'm getting the feeling, more than ever, that the real Kuma is not playing with the World Goverment's best interests in mind at all. Could Dragon be making his move?

Lastly:
Who wants to place bets on Ussop landing on either the Giant's home or *gasp* SNIPER ISLAND? XD
I'm waiting for the debut of KAMEN SNIPER.

[Illjwamh]

Not much to add, really. I was happy to see some of the other crew again, and I was greatly amused to see where Sanji ended up.

Poor Nami. She seems so sad.

[Zelyhon]

I just thought of something. Thus far, there's two major marines who we haven't seen where they are yet, either of whom could guess that Luffy'd go after Ace himself: Aokiji and Smoker.

Aokiji's probably being kept at Mariejoa for the execution (and to keep an eye on the Shichibukai), but do you think Smoker will have something to actually do this arc instead of just showing up at the end for a couple mostly unrelated pages?

[Illjwamh]

That's a good point. We haven't seen Smoker in so long that I'd almost completely forgotten about him, but he would be the most likely Marine to anticipate Luffy's move here.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Good point! My intuition is that Smoker would be stationed at Impel Down for the execution just like all the Marine's best. Hopeful specualtion on my part says we might finally see a reunion with either Tashigi or the Captain that broke Zoro's Yabushiri.

Zoro's in no shape to take on Mihawk. My prediction since Loguetown has been that Zoro's would reunite with Tashigi and inherit her meitou-blade, Shigure. Best guess is a rematch then :)

Given the scale of the current build up, anything could happen!

[edit] Looking back on earlier One Piece (around ep 50 is the LogueTown arc), I see that all the pirates only managed to escape thanks to some miraculous weather which at the end was clearly explained to have been Dragon's doing. Is Impel Down going to be "LogueTown: 2"?

It's also worth adding a guess that Captain Kidd will be joining the Shikibukai since they all are made up of characters who've names attributed to some of the most historically famous pirates. That and his sinister character design & first-mate, Killer.

[Zelyhon]

Well, looks like Smoker and Tashigi are there. It's good to see them getting something to do with the main plot again instead of just being a looming presence for the future.

Whitebeard's odds are not looking good at this point. I know he commands several fleets of ships, all of which likely have immensely powerful pirates on them, but the commander of one of those fleets was taken down by one of the Shichibukai. Now, they've got five of the Shichibukai, three supreme admirals, lots of famous captains and vice admirals, and no element of surprise on their side.

And as for the rest of the Straw Hats landing areas, they were interesting for fleshing out the world, but a bit frustrating, since we won't learn much about them for a while. Ussop's was kinda funny, though I would have preferred him to go to Giant Island. Brooke was probably the best of the bunch, with the "summoning" coincidence. Robin's annoyed me a little, what with her being a captive *again*. Although, if those aren't seastone cuffs, that labor island's in for a surprise. Zoro, we'll just have to see how it goes. At least he has another previously appearing character to talk to.

[Illjwamh]

I had a feeling we hadn't seen the last of Perona. I don't know why, but I did.

And getting back together is going to be difficult enough for the Straw Hats, but it's going to be almost impossible for the ones like Robin and Zoro who aren't even in the Grand Line anymore. Will they hitch a ride on a Marine vessel or will they have to go over Reverse Mountain again? Good lord, can you imagine? There has to be a shortcut or something that we're not yet aware of or this is going to take forever.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Hmmm. For Whitebeards odds, I forsee a great potential turnabout due to wildcard factors such as Luffy and all of the Shooting-Star rookies that have been captured. The loyalty of all the Shikibukai is certainly questionable at best since one of them is already helping Luffy for her own personal wants. Don Flamingdo was previously forshadowed as an anarchist-type looking forward to the coming conflicts. Bartholomew Kuma we've mentioned and Hawkeye isn't really motivated either.

The holiday SH's are all currently on the island while Luffy was on his so who knows where they'll be in a few chapters time. Ussop is likely to upgrade Sogeking with lessons from 'Hercules' whilst Nami is learning to control the weather. Her Sky Island could be anywhere so parachuting down into the action isn't out of the question. Robin's captors don't have a clue about her so she could be a one-woman liberation army. Hell knows where the bridge to nowhere goes. Chopper confuses me. Brooke is just sheer awesome.

The oddest surprise is the ZoroxPerona. I figured we'd be seeing her again since she dissappeared the same way as the SH's but Zoro appearing before her is unexpected. The location doesn't really fit him but it looks like he'll be sitting out this round.

...lol Brooke's offerings!

<3 Hebihime haha

[KiraraKim]

Wow Robin made out really badly during this little excursion

And I lol'ed at Boa's fantasy about Luffy and how totally untrue it ended up being. :XD:

[Javer]

Donquixote Doflamingo is way bigger than I thought. Actually, so is Bartholomew Kuma. Look, they're just all gigantic. What happened to being scared of guys twice as big as normal?

[Zelyhon]

Donquixote Doflamingo is way bigger than I thought. Actually, so is Bartholomew Kuma. Look, they're just all gigantic. What happened to being scared of guys twice as big as normal?

Heh. True. I noticed how much Moria and Kuma tower over the others, but Blackbeard and Doflamingo are pretty big in their own right (though part of Doflamingo's size might be from his cape). Mihawk and Hancock are just about the only normal sized Shichibukai. XD

[Illjwamh]

I think a lot of Doflamingo's bulk comes from his fluffy coat.

Also, I was kind of bummed to see that Moria didn't meet a fate similar to Crocodile's.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

The plot thikens. Countdown to execution: Hours to chaos.

[Zelyhon]

Cheerful looking place, what with the spike pits, the torture devices, and the minotaur jailer. Can't wait to see just how chaotic things are going to get.

Also:
Boa Hancock: "Now quickly, get inside my robes."

Somewhere out on the ocean, Sanji spontaneously combusted out of pure jealousy.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Boa "Please be gentle" <3

Buggy has ROCKET PUNCH!

[Illjwamh]

Buggy and Luffy teaming up is awesome. I'm still geeking out over it.

Hancock's reactions to Luffy are gold, too. Especially when he got her name right. :D

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Buggy and Luffy teaming up is awesome. I'm still geeking out over it.

Hancock's reactions to Luffy are gold, too. Especially when he got her name right. :D
I was geeking out before but looking at this week's raw made me jump with delight. Buggy is actually kinda cool now. Some more old faces returning soon too. This is why I've been looking forward to the Prison-Break arc for so long XD

[triggerman]

Damn this series never ceases to amaze me.....Im just wondering like, who the hell, if anybody, could be held under the 5th level.....like would that person be even human? Even Gol D. Roger was captured, somehow, and killed.lol

[Illjwamh]

Roger turned himself in, remember?

As for this arc, it's going great so far. Can you imagine how cool it would be if Luffy gathered a band of all the badasses he's beaten earlier in the story?

[Zelyhon]

While a band of Luffy enemies would be pretty cool, I'm not sure even Luffy'd go for it, much less the rest of them. He doesn't particularly hate Buggy or even some of the semi-major enemies in there (Mr. 1-3), but I just can't see him teaming up with Crocodile or Arlong, considering how those two hurt his nakama. It's still possible, as we've seen him forgive Hachi, but there's also the question of whether or not said enemies would team up with Luffy or just try to get out of Impel Down.

It would be totally badass if they explain/do it properly, though. No question about that. Plus, once they then get down to Ace, they might even have a group that could stall Garp long enough to free Ace.

[Illjwamh]

I wasn't thinking about the big bads. You're right; there's no way Luffy'd team up with them. But folks like Mr. 3 and stuff, maybe. I don't think they'd be permanent members of the crew anyway - just a temporary gang to get out of Impel Down.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

As well as the baddies that Luffy has defeated - "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" and all - the other source of help would be all the rookies that were rounded up before.

[Zelyhon]

I wasn't thinking about the big bads. You're right; there's no way Luffy'd team up with them. But folks like Mr. 3 and stuff, maybe. I don't think they'd be permanent members of the crew anyway - just a temporary gang to get out of Impel Down.

And, in the end, they start their own crew under Luffy, giving him the beginnings of a pirate fleet. XD

But yeah, I expect something like that will happen, especially with the rookies that got captured and Mr. 2, since they're friends already. There's a semi-frightening thought: Mr. 2 becoming the permanent 10th crewmember. XD



PSJ: To some extent, that's true, but consider just how personal the fights against Croc and Arlong got for Luffy. I really don't see Luffy working with them, even if he could be convinced to release them. At best, they get loose and start wrecking the place as they make their own ways to freedom. For anyone not Crocodile and Arlong (and Enel and all of CP9, were any of them in prison), though, I can see them teaming up with Luffy, at very least when he turns his attention to breaking out rather than in.